Shloka 125
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
तदा मनस्ते त्रिदिवादिवाशुचे- निवर्तिता पार्थ महीप्रशासनात् | प्रशाम्य राज्यं हि सुदुर्लभं त्वया बुभूषित: स्वर्ग इवातपस्विना
tadā manas te tridivād ivāśuce nivartitā pārtha mahīpraśāsanāt | praśāmya rājyaṃ hi sudurlabhaṃ tvayā bubhūṣitaḥ svarga ivātapasvinā ||
桑贾亚说道：“噢，帕尔塔（阿周那）！正如不净之人的心念会背离天界——因为天界非其所能及——同样，在那时，你的心也将因绝望而背离对大地的统治。安定下来，坐下吧：王权对你而言极难获得。正如未曾修苦行者仍渴望天界，你也曾渴望至高的主权。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire must be matched by qualification and discipline: sovereignty, like heaven, is not gained merely by wishing. The verse stresses self-restraint (praśānti) and implies that legitimate power requires prior merit—especially tapas (austerity, disciplined effort) and fitness for rule.
Sanjaya addresses Arjuna (Partha) with a sobering comparison: just as an unpurified person gives up hope of heaven, Arjuna will (or should) abandon the expectation of ruling the earth. He urges Arjuna to calm down and accept that kingship is extremely difficult for him to obtain in the present situation.